Time To Live
by Maximum Lilac Ride
Summary: Max has been abused her whole life. She lived at the orphanage with her little brother. The orpanage would beat the kids, and she would protect the other kids in the orpanage so they werent hurt. She had the most scars. What will she do when her and her borther get adopted? How will she change at her new home? Will she go back to the orphanage to protect the kids or will she stay?
1. prolog

**Prolog  
Max's pov**

Being abused has maybe three advantages. High pain tolerance, quick instincts, and protecting the ones you love. I would know. I have been abused all my life. At home I would protect my little brother Ari from Jeb. I refused to call that monster my father. He hurts us mentally and physically.

Nobody knows what he does to us. We can't tell. Not talking for your whole life can do that to a person. No I am not mute. I only talk to Ari when things get real bad.

I bet you are wondering who I am. My name is Maximum Ride. I have dirty blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. I have a little brother named Ari Ride. He looks just like me. He's eight and I am fifteen. We are both tall for our ages. We lived at Jeb's house until we called the cops. Well Ari did. I was distracting Jeb so Ari could steal his phone. When Ari called the police Jeb was in the middle of throwing me into the wall. He wasn't done there though. Tonight it was the worst beating of them all. Why? Well Jeb was drunk. When he beat us before, he was always sober. Drunken Jeb was an abomination. I don't want to scare you for life by telling you what he did to me. I was eleven when we got out of there. Ari was four.

We were put in the orphanage called The School. A very creepy name for an orphanage. We soon found that it wasn't much better than Jeb's place. We were still abused but this was worse. They used weapons here. Knifes, belts, acid, anything that could be used as a weapon. Yeah, bad place. Now I made sure all the other kids were safe. I would sneak them out at night and take them to the woods. We all got two blankets each so we could keep warm. That was from the only nice person there. Her name was Anne Walker. She snuck us lots of food and candy. She is the only one that knows of our camp. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What camp? Well we all sleep in trees. Yes, I said in. It is the only place where we feel safe. Now you are caught up on most of my life. Let's see what the new day brings.

**Me: sorry it was so short. I am new to this whole thing but I promise the chapters will get longer.**

**Fang: yeah I am going to help her. She needs it. **

**Me: hey *punches his am hard* jerk**

**Fang: *rubs arm* ow**

**Disclaimer: they don't own maximum ride just the plot.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1  
Max's pov**

I awoke with the sun, like every day. Got the kids up and back to the School, like every day. Got them ready and got them fed, like every day. Seemed like the schedule would be the same as always, how was I so wrong. The whightcoats (nickname for the people at orphanage) came and got my little girl. She isn't mine by blood but I raised her so she is like a daughter to me. Her name is Alexandra but she goes by Alex. She has midnight black hair and crystal blue eyes. She is four and is Ari's best friend.

We share a room so I make sure the whightcoats don't hurt her. When they opened the door I pushed her behind me and growled at the whightcoats. Yes growled. You don't mess with Alex or you will pay. I don't go anywhere without her and Ari. The first whightcoats looked at me and huffed "yes we need you and your brother to come. You three are being adopted. Come on." With that he left.

Alex and I exchanged a startled look. I had her get ready and I ran to get Ari. He was right across the hall from my room. I told him the news and told him to get dressed. He was doing it as fast as he can while I ran to help Alex. She got dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Same as Ari. I got a long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Ari can into our room and brought us our black converse.

When we were ready they walked by me and we got our belongings. All of our stuff fit into one backpack and I put it on my shoulders. Ari and Alex grabbed my hands and we went to the main room. I saw a woman filling out papers, a tall strawberry blond boy with piercing blue eyes, and another boy dressed in all black with shaggy black hair and obsidian eyes. Two whightcoats were there talking with the woman.

I glared at the whightcoats and moved Alex and Ari behind me. They understood without a word. The people finally noticed that we were here and looked at us. The woman was the first to speak. "Hello, you must be Max. I am Valencia Martinez. You can call me Val. These are my sons, Iggy and Fang. We are here to adopt you and two others. Do you know where they are?" I didn't speak to her. She seemed to notice the two kids behind me and she spoke again. "What are your names little ones?" They just held tighter to me. The whightcoat spoke up and told her how I don't talk to anyone but these two and how I don't let them out of my sight. He also told her Alex's full name instead of what we call her.

I just kept glaring at the people. The tall one of her sons, Iggy, spoke up. "Hi. Do you want me to take you to the car?" The mom, Val, liked the idea. She had Fang go with us as well. Iggy tried to take Ari's hand so I growled at him. He actually flinched back and Fang's eyes widened. Alex and Ari took my hands and I led them outside.

We waited by the only car there. Fang and Iggy came and opened the car. I climbed in the back with Ari and Alex. We haven't spoken to anybody so Iggy was trying to start a conversation. "I fell like those people mom was talking about were freaky. What do you call them?" "Whightcoats," Ari answered him politely. I still didn't trust him and neither of the kids do either, but I do let them answer people when they answer questions. Alex was huddled into my side and was starting to fall asleep. I was stroking her hair and whispered in her ear that I would wake her up when we got there. I told Ari the same thing and in five minutes they were both asleep. Val got in the car and we started to go to our new house. I won't call it a home yet.

**Me: do you like it**

**Fang: (-_-) I didn't say anything at all.**

**Me: do you ever speak to people you first meet?**

**Fang: ….no **

**Me: that's what I thought.**

**Disclaimer: we don't own maximum ride.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
Max's pov**

After a long car ride I was about ready to jump out of my skin. We were the last kids to get adopted and we were nervous. Alex woke up about ten minutes ago to a nightmare. When Fang tried to wake her up and I growled at him signaling him to back off. Good thing he did or he would have several broken bones real soon. He held his hands up in surrender and I brought Alex closer. She started to whimper and I murmured soft soothing words to her. She woke up fast and was looking around until she saw me. She relaxed then told me a couple words that described her nightmare. Pain. Acid. Blades. Death. I kept whispering soft words to her until we pulled up to a house.

More like mansion. A four storey home with woods surrounding it. The trees were huge and perfect to camp in. I woke up Ari and he looked at the trees longingly. Iggy saw us looking and he said "you can go into the woods but you have to stay on the path. Wolves are in there and they roam at night." We looked at each other and they burst out laughing. I smiled as everyone else looked confused. They were remembering our pack.

*flashback*

We were trying to get away from the School, only we wandered a little too far away. It was close to midnight and the moon was shining through the trees. We had been in such a rush to get away from the Whightcoats that we got lost. We were hungry and tired. No way back unless we want to get punished even worse than normal. Our punishment would range to having no food for a week to sleeping in a dog crate.

We heard a growl and saw eyes glinting in the dark. More growls were heard. By now I had put the kids behind me seeing as how I was by a tree. I turned to Ari and Alex and had them climb the tree. I kept my face clear of emotion as I turned to face what was hidden in the darkness. A wolf stepped out into the moonlight where the eyes were. A gray wolf. He growled again and more wolves stepped out.

We were surrounded. The leader growled again, almost challenging me. That's when I had an idea. He growled again and this time I growled back. Apparently he didn't like that so he lunged at me and pinned me down. I didn't show fear but I did show surprise when he licked me.

He wagged his tail and gave a happy yip. Guess he liked me. I got Alex and Ari down from the tree and the wolves gave us rides to where the rest of their pack was. Now that I think about it, it seems we are a part of their pack.

*flashback end*

Iggy and Fang looked at us like we were crazy. The car stopped and Alex, Ari, and I bolted out of that car faster than you could say hi. Hey we have claustrophobia what do you expect.

Val got out of the car and went to the front door. The little kids grabbed my hands and we all went inside to our new home.

**Me: do you like? **

**Fang: I could have done a little talking. I don't like getting growled at.**

**Me: then don't mess with Ari and Alex.**

**Fang: you made me do it!**

**Me: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! He showed emotion.**

**Fang: real mature.**

**Me: yep (;D)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
max's pov**

We followed Val to the house but before we went in I gave the kids the signals for look for a way out. Run to woods and I will follow you in. Be safe if we get separated.

Fang and Iggy were behind us but I don't think they understood. Alex and Ari gave simultaneous nods. We went inside and the first thing that crossed my mind was wow. I do believe that we were stunned because fang nudged me forward a bit. Alex looked at me and put her hands up. I know that Alex wanted to be carried because she is safe when I have her. Ari took my other hand and we followed Fang and Iggy to our room. It was huge. They were nice enough to put us all into the same room. We had two sets of bunk beds so we have an extra bed for a friend or something. Ari went to the first one and climbed to the top. I put Alex, who was now asleep, on the other top bunk. Ari looked at me and climbed off the bunk and climbed in besides me underneath her. We stayed like that in a comfortable silence until we heard a loud slam of a door. I immediately grabbed Ari and put him on the top bunk with Alex and they huddled away from the door.

Footsteps were coming down the hallway (they rode an elevator to the fourth floor). I tensed. I was ready to spring when the door opened to reveal Fang. I was still on guard. "Hey our sister came home. I thought you might want to meet her," Fang said uncertainly. I slowly nodded and got Alex down. Ari jumped off the bed. We walked out the door and Fang led us to the living room on this floor. He said hey to a girl that looked exactly like Val. She got up and introduced herself as Ella.

Alex looked around and took a step back suddenly when Ella came over to her. She looked kind of sad so I had Ari tell her that we don't like sudden movements. Ella understood and asked us if we wanted to go to the woods.

I smiled and nodded. We all walked out into the woods. Fang got Iggy, and we were actually enjoying our walk.

We walked for about thirty minutes going deep into the woods. Ella and Iggy were getting scared and even Fang looked a little worried. Ari, Alex, and I were as calm as could be.

Suddenly a twig snapped in the bushes. I smiled as a wolf came out. Ella screamed and went to Iggy. Fang tried to come over to us but one growl from the wolf stopped him. I walked up to the wolf and spoke loud and clear. "Where's the rest of our pack Kani?" She lunged at me, pinned me down, and gave me lick on my cheek. "Kani is that how you will always great me? Get off me girl. You're heavy." She got off of me and went to see Ari then Alex. Ella, Fang and Iggy were looking at me with their jaws hanging open. It looked like they would lose their mouths so being me decided to speak to them directly and say something sarcastic, "keeping your mouth open like that is going to make you-" I was interrupted by Iggy having a giant coughing fit. "-eat a fly," I finished

I don't know if I said something weird or the fact I talked at all. Eh, I don't want to stress over the matter. The look on their faces was enough to put a rock in a hospital for laughing so hard.

Ari and Alex saw what I was laughing at and another round of laughter was set up. You are probably wondering why I am talking to these people. Well they are just the right people that you feel you can trust with your life, and never have to worry again. But I still don't trust the mom.


End file.
